Outrageous Hosts for 2005
About
the Guest Hosts:
Here are names, pix and bios of our Outrageous Hosts for 2005
January
29 Janice Daly
Janis Daly is a Toronto-based
singer/songwriter. She also plays guitar, bass, and flute, just to
mention a few.
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Feb
5 John
Dorsey
Singer/Songwriter based in Toronto, Ontario.
Bio
While recovering from a motorcycle accident, John took up the guitar.
After graduation, he set off to see the world. Vancouver, Tokyo (where
he played guitar bars),Vietnam. He hitchhiked throughout Southeast
Asia, worked with the aborigines in northern Australia, and lived and
climbed in the mountains of New Zealand. Guitar in tow, he then
travelled overland from India to Europe, and after 4 years, back home.
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In the '70s John
became a teacher. He lived in the Therafields
community in Toronto where his personal growth and creativity were
supported, and his song writing and performing skills flourished.
Evenings and weekends were often spent singing and playing guitar in
coffee houses and bars in southern Ontario.
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Now retired from
teaching, John has recorded some of the songs he's
written over the years. These are real songs, about real experiences,
as solid and as earthy as his log cabin in the woods near Huntsville.
His songs are well-crafted acoustic, country/folk tunes, easy to listen
and relate to, and range from gentle folk, through catchy country to
wanna-get-up-and-dance blues or bluegrass style. The CD is called
"No Second Chance"
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John's CD is a delightful collection of whimsical
songs.
Website:
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Feb
19 Ray Murray
Singer/songwriter based in Toronto, Ontario. Ray enjoys the music of
Billy Joe Shaver, Gordon Lightfoot and others of the same ilk. Has been
a regular for many years at Toronto's popular Melody Ranch event, and
attends and participates at various open stage and jam events at the
Transaac Club. Ray says that Gordon Lightfoot "taught me to play
the guitar"
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March
5 Dan McVeigh
Singer/Songwriter Based in Brampton, Ontario.
They say things get better with time. Dan McVeigh has been involved in
the music industry for most of his life. Dan started out as a keyboard
player/lead vocalist in a number of Top 40/Country music groups before
working on his career as a solo artist.
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He started writing
songs at age 18 and has 5 Billboard songwriting
awards to his credit as well as finishing 4th in the Canadian Country
Music Hall Of Fame Songwriting Competition. He has also won his 2nd
straight honorable mention with the NSAI/CMT Song contest this year.
Dan was recognized for his work in the community from the City of
Brampton with a 2001 Arts Acclaim Award. Dan also finished 2nd in
Starquest (a country music talent competition) and 2nd in the Canadian
Open Country Singing Contest (songwriting division) in 2004.
A quote about Dan's new CD, Love and Bridges
"Dan McVeigh emerges as a first-class
singer/songwriter on his debut CD "Love And Bridges". While it falls
squarely in the commercial country vein, he has some soul, and knows
how to turn a phrase" - Mike Beggs,
Mississauga News
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March 19 Julie Long
Julie Long is an incredibly talented
singer/songwriter/pianist.
Julie's life has
always been filled with music and
song.
As the daughter of professional musicians it
player was no surprise that Julie herself would follow in their
footsteps, beginning her career as a keyboard and back-up vocalist at
the age of 17.
In
recent years Julie has developed a passion for songwriting and is
currently performing her own material.
See Julie's website
where you can hear some of her music.
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 Seen here at the
Outrageous Open Stage in spring of 2005. |
April 2 Patrick
Simmonds of Spraoí
Pat Simmonds is a multi
instrumentalist from New Zealand. The product of an Irish immigrant
family with Carlow connections, he is the eldest of five siblings, all
of whom play music. He has spent many years in Conamara where
he has performed with some of the finest names today, The Connolly
family, John Beag O'Flatharta, Sean Keane, Sean Tyrrell,
Charlie Lennon, Pat Mitchell, the Shannon sisters, Mary Bergin and many
more. He has appeared numerous times on Irish, English
and European television and radio and collaborations have garnered
several songwriting awards in Ireland.
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In 2000 the band were invited
to appear at the millenium concert in Gisborne, New Zealand where they
played to an audience of over 30 000 people.
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His recording credits include
the live to video concert "Gael Cheol Tire Chonamara", hardcore folk
band The Far Canals,
Spidoolin, the New Zealand bush band Murphy's Law and many others.
Lately he has been in various studios recording and producing albums
for singer/songwriter John Eccleston, folksinger Jim Fay and coordinated
a celtic theme album for Solitudes. He has guested on albums by
accordionist Ena O'Brien and bagpipe funk merchants Taxi
Chain. He is currently recording a album of traditional material
for fiddle, accordion and pipes.
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April 16 -
Our gracious Fill-in Host will be either Julie Long or Keith Addison -
we'll keep you posted!
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April 30 Trevor
Burt
Trevor Burt is one of Canada’s
foremost classical guitarist/composers. He has been performing original
compositions and masterworks from the guitar repertory to capacity
crowds and rave reviews from Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto to Meredith
College in Raleigh, North Carolina, since 1989. His debut CD,
Convergence, has been hailed by Shelagh Rogers of the CBC as,
“terrific”. Ted Weiner, the Musical Director of Classical 89.9 in North
Carolina proclaims, “Trevor Burt is a first rate interpreter.” Both the
Japanese Guitar Association and the South Carolina Arts Commission have
praised his “Outstanding Musicianship” and “Unique and Compelling”
compositions. His music is currently broadcast across Canada and the
U.S.A. and has been heard as far away as Tokyo, Japan.
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Trevor Burt is a graduate of
the Royal Conservatory of Music Associateship program and holds a
Bachelor of Music in Performance Degree from the University of Toronto
where he earned the Ken Young Scholarship. He received the Award of
Excellence from the Japanese Guitar Association in 1988 and was named
Mississauga Musician of the year in 1990. In addition to his activities
with the trio Azulão, Trevor Burt performs as a soloist and in
various chamber music ensembles including the Cardey-Burt Duo based in
Toronto.
Trevor has recently begun to
write singer/songwriter material, drawing on his life's experiences for
inspiration.
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May 14 Timothy John
Robert
What can we say about Timothy John
Robert?
First off, he’s very entertaining. His energy while entertaining
is phenomenal. His musical style is probably best described as
rocking alternative/folk.
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Based in Toronto, TJR has been
playing and singing in the GTA for a few years. He writes about his
life experiences, and events that strike him as song-worthy. His wry
sense of humour is readily found in his lyrics.
Easily recognizable as he marches down the street, guitar slung over
his back and his wooden walking staff in his hand ... his black hat
perched on his head. He cuts a colourful figure.
No event with TJR will be dull, we can guarantee that!
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May 28 Laura Thomas
Laura Thomas is an Ontario based
singer/songriter/entertainer.
Laura has a wonderful and very versatile voice. She is as at home
singing an Alanis Morrisette cover as she is covering Joni Mitchell.
..... Laura is well known in the Toronto area as a talented
and well-rounded musician. Laura has a background that includes Choral
singing, Acting, Classical voice training, Teaching, Choir Directing
and numerous pop/rock/alternative/folk and blues bands as well as
children's shows.
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Laura began her musical
career at the early age of 7 singing in a local choir and theatre
company and now makes her living performing for audiences of all ages.
Laura was an original member of the Amanda Marshall Band and has had
the opportunity to perform live with such notable performers as Vince
Gill, Jeff Healey, Michael Burgess, Stephen Fearing, Ron Nigrini, Norm
Hacking, Richard Samuals and Snow.
Laura's instrumental talents
include. Congas, lead and backing vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica,
bass and foot tambourine
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Laura's CD, SIMPLE THINGS,
is a delightful collection of her original tunes, which has been
getting a lot of favorable attention on CBC as well as in
Europe..
Visit the Website
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June 11 - Brian Gladstone - **Host and Featured Artist
Brian Gladstone is a shining
example to
aspiring indy artists everywhere.
A self-starter, Brian single handedly promoted his first CD, getting
airplay all over Europe, his next CD followed and he was soon getting
htat played all over the place. Brian next decided to create a
music festival which he calls Winterfolk.
This festival has become a favorite here in the city, and Brian has to
turn away would-be particpants because he gets too many
applications.
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Visit the website
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June
25 - Dwight Peters
We don't have a a bio for Dwight at
this time, but as soon as we get one from him, we'll add it in here.
Meantime, we can say that Dwight is a self-possessed,
singer/songwriter/performer who
has a gift for playing and singing. He has a great way with the
audience, and comes across as very professional and smooth.
Dwight has a pleasant, resonant voice and interesting songs and lyrics.
His guitar playing is also smooth and tuneful.
We look forward to having Dwight as our host.
See Sue and Dwights website
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